Wire clamp



p 1942- o. F. TALLIQIAN 2,297,036

WI-RE CLAMP Filed'April L21, 1941 ATrOB/ EY Patented Sept. 29, 1942 WIRECLAMP Oscar F. Tallman, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. KearneyCorporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application April21, 1941, Serial No. 389,531

2 Claims. (01. 173-273) This invention relates generally to clamps formechanically and electrically connecting tapoff and other wires toelectrical lines, and more specifically to a clamp of the general typeof that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No, 2,096,790, grantedon October 26, 1937, the predominant object of the present inventionbeing to provide a clamp of the type referred to, which, because of itsimproved construction and arrangement, is simplified and is renderedcapable of being produced at reduced cost.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved clamp showing same appliedto an electrical line and with a tapoff or other wire attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the assembly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration,merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved clampgenerally The clamp A is formed from a single length of material, such,for instance, as heavy wire which is of sufiicient stiffness yetsufiiciently resilient to serve the required purpose.

The ends of the length of material from which the clamp A is produced,in the completed clamp, are located in abutting relation as indicated atI in Fig. 2 where said ends are welded, brazed, or otherwise securedtogether. Extending upwardly from the point I is a portion 2 of theclamp-forming material which merges into a horizontal portion 3 thatextends outwardly from the upper end of said portion 2. Extendedupwardly from the outer end of the horizontal portion 3 is a, relativelong portion 4 which terminates at its upper end in an inwardly curvedportion 5, said portion 5 in addition to its inwardly curved formationbeing bent rearwardly,

as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 3, to

dispose said portion 5 at a rearwardly projected angle relative to theportion 4. The clamp A includes a slightly bowed portion 6 that extendsdownwardly from the curved portion 5 and terminates at its lower end ina horizontal portion 1, said portion 6 being located rearwardly of theportion 4, and said horizontal portion I extending forwardly from thelower end of the portion 6 toward the location of said portion 4 asshown in Fig. 2. The portion 1 merges into an outwardly and downwardlycurved gripping portion 8 which in turn merges into a downwardly andoutwardly extended, and slightly bowed, portion 9. said portion 9terminating at its lower end in a portion II] which is bent at anoutwardly and downwardly projected angle with respect to the portion 9.

The portions of the clamp thus far referred to constitute one half ofthe clamp A, said clamp including in its structure similar parts whichprovide the other half thereof. In other words, the lower end of theportion Iil merges into a loop II -(Figs. 1 and 3) which in turn mergesinto portions I2 and 13 that correspond with the previously mentionedportions I0 and 9. At the upper end of the portion I3 a curved grippingportion I4 is formed, and extended rearwardly from said gripping portionI4 is a horizontal portion I5, said horizontal portion merging into a,slightly bowed portion l6 which extends upwardly from the rear end ofthe horizontal portion I5 in coincidence with the portion Ii previouslymentioned herein. A continuation of the portion I6 at the upper endthereof is in the form of an outwardly curved and forwardly angledportion I I which corresponds in shape and arrangement with thepreviously mentioned, and oppositely disposed portion 5, said portion IImerging into a vertically disposed portion I8 which is a companion partof the clamp of the portion 4 thereof.

The portion I8 terminates at its lower end in a horizontal portion I9which extends inwardly from said lower end of said portion I8 and mergesat its inner end into a downwardly extended portion 20, which at itslower end is shaped to provide angularly disposed portions 2I, 22, and23 which produce a, triangular opening there within, as shown to thebest advantage in Fig. 2. The portions I9 and 20 are companion parts tothe previously mentioned portions 3 and 2, respectively, and a portion24 which extends upwardly from the angularly disposed portion 24 isarranged in abutting relation with respect to the portion 2 and issecured thereto, as has been previously explained herein, to completethe clamp.

It is to be noted that the horizontal portions '|--I5 and the grippingportions 8-I4 of the clamp A. contact with each other and are movableiorwardly and rearwardly as a unit between the vertical clamp portions4-I8, rearward movement of said parts being limited by contact of theportions 9I3 with the portion of the clamp provided by the junction ofthe portions 32 and the junction of the portions I9-20. Also, as isshown in Fig. l, the clamp portion 20 and the clamp portions 224 are incontact with each other transversely of the clamp, with the portion 22,located at the lower end of the with the wire W attached thereto iselevated to the location of the power line L with the aid of a asuitable clamp stick (not shown), the finger of--- the clamp stickengaging the clamp by being inserted beneath and in contact with eitherof the clamp portions 5 or ll.

'15 The clamp is preliminarily applied to the power line so that theclamp is supported by the power line with the clamp portions 20-24 incontact with one side v of said power line and with the clamp portionsl--l2 in contact with and extended downwardly and outwardly with respectto the opposite side of said power line. The clamp stick is then shiftedto introduce the finger thereof into the triangular opening defined bythe clamp portions 2 I, 22, and 23 and the clamp is drawn downwardlyrelative to the power line with the aid of the clamp stick. Suchdownward movement of the clamp with respect to the power line L causesthe portion of the clamp made up of the clamp portions 6-I6, 1|5, 8|4,9l3, iii-42, and II tobe cammed outwardly relative to the remainingportions of the clamp from the position in which said parts are shown bydotted lines in Fig. 2, to cause the power line to be seated in thegripping portions 8-I4 where it is forcibly gripped between the innerfaces of said gripping portions 8|4 and the clamp portions 4-48 as isshown by full lines in Fig. 2, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

When the clamp A is attached to a power line the inherent resiliency ofthe clamp structure causes the portion of the clamp of which thegripping portions 8-44 form parts, to tend to return to its normal,unstressed position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and therefore theclamp very securely grips the power line so as to provide positivemechanical attachment and good electrical connection between the clampand the power line. clamp when it is in engagement with a power line,due to the outwardly displaced position of the portion of the clamp ofwhich the gripping portions 8--l4 form parts, results in a directforward pull being applied to each of the clamp portions 4l8 which drawssaid clamp portions 8I4 into forcible contact with the power line towhich the clamp is applied, the angularly extended clamp portions -l1being subjected by said direct pull to a resilient spreading actionwhich aids in obtaining the desired intimate contact between the clampportions 4l8 and the power line L to which the clamp is attached.

I claim:

1. A clamp formed from a single length of resilient material shaped toprovide spaced, sub- Also, the stressed condition of the stantiallyparallel, vertical portions, inwardly curved and rearwardly convergingportions located entirely at the upper end of the clamp and extendedfrom said spaced portions at the upper ends thereof, said inwardlycurved and rearwardly converging portions each describing a portion onlyof a complete circle and said portions being subjected to a spreadingaction when the clamp is stressed in use, portions extended downwardlyfrom said inwardly curved and rearwardly converging portions which arejoined at their lower ends, the upper portions of said downwardlyextended portions being disposed rearwardly of said spaced portions andthe lower portions thereof being disposed forwardly of said spacedportions, gripping portions formed in said downwardly extended portionswhich join the upper, rearwardly disposed portions thereof with thelower, forwardly disposed portions of said downwardly extended portions,said gripping portions being adapted to engage an element by which theclamp is supported so that said element is gripped between said grippingportions and said spaced portions, and portions extended from saidspaced portions which are shaped to provide the clamp with an eyeportion at its lower end.

- 2, A clamp formed from a single length of resilient material shaped toprovide spaced, substantially parallel, vertical portions, inwardlycurved and rearwardly converging portions located entirely at the upperend of the clamp and extended from said spaced portions at the upperends thereof, said inwardly curved and rearwardly converging portionseach describing a portion only of a complete circle and said portionsbeing subjected to a spreading action when the clamp is stressed in use,oppositely curved portions extended downwardly from said inwardly curvedand rearwardly converging portions which are joined at their lower ends,the upper portions of said downwardly extended portions being disposedrearwardly of said spaced portions and the lower portions thereof beingdisposed forwardly of said spaced portions, gripping portions formed insaid downwardly extended portions which join the upper rearwardldisposed portions thereof with the lower, forwardly disposed portions ofsaid downwardly extended portions, substantially horizontal portionsextended from the upper, rearwardly disposed portions of said downwardlyextended portions to said gripping portions and adapted for movementbetween said spaced portions, said gripping portions being adapted toengage an element by which the clamp is supported so that said elementis gripped between said gripping portions and said spaced portions, andportions extended from said spaced portions which are shaped to providethe clamp with an eye portion at its lower end, said downwardly extendedportions being in contact with each other at the locations of saidgripping portions and said substantially horizontal portion.

OSCAR F. TALLMAN.

